No events at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) or Penticton Trade and Convention Centre have been cancelled yet due to COVID-19.
As of 11:20 a.m. March 12, the SOEC said there are no cancellations. The organization said they will be following recommendations from the Ministry of Health, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and local authorities.
Upcoming March/April events at the SOEC include Penticton Vees playoffs, Gord Bamford’s #REDNEK Music Fest, Chicago the Musical, the 2020 BC Interior RV Show, the Okanagan Fest of Ale, and Alice Cooper.
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“While the number of cases worldwide is changing quickly, the risk to Canadians continues to be low,” said SOEC Director of Marketing, Carla Seddon.
In the meantime, SOEC staff are focused on daily cleaning of the building and preventatives measures. This includes disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, elevator buttons and bathrooms.
Seddon explained they have also heightened food service policies to reflect a proactive approach to housekeeping, sanitation, hygiene and food handling.
“Our staff, partners and guests are encouraged to follow standard health precautions, such as consistent hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes. We encourage individuals who are sick to stay home,” she said.
“Moving forward, we will remain in close contact with our local and provincial health departments, and also monitor daily advisories from the BCCDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) to update and adjust our protocols according to their recommendations.”
Seddon added: “It is the highest priority of Spectra, the South Okanagan Events Centre Complex and our event partners to ensure the health and safety of our participants, visitors and employees.”
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